NOTE: This disposition is nonprecedential.

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ______________________ WASHINGTON G. RUFFIN, JR., Claimant-Appellant v. DAVID J. SHULKIN, SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, Respondent-Appellee ______________________ 2016-2401 ______________________ Appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in No. 14-3370, Judge Mary J. Schoelen. ______________________ JUDGMENT ______________________ LYNN K. NEUNER, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, LLP, New York, NY, argued for claimant-appellant.

DOUGLAS GLENN EDELSCHICK, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, argued for respondent-appellee.

Also represented by CHAD A. READLER, ROBERT E.

KIRSCHMAN, JR., MARTIN F. HOCKEY, JR.; BRIAN D.

GRIFFIN, DEREK SCADDEN, Office of General Counsel, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Washing- ton, DC. ______________________ THIS CAUSE having been heard and considered, it is ORDERED and ADJUDGED:

PER CURIAM (NEWMAN, CLEVENGER, and CHEN, Circuit Judges).

AFFIRMED. See Fed. Cir. R. 36.

ENTERED BY ORDER OF THE COURT

October 13, 2017 /s/ Peter R. Marksteiner Date Peter R. Marksteiner Clerk of Court